Income of Asians in America exceeded that of all U.S. families

The median annual income of Asian families exceeded that of all U.S. families, and the
percentage of Asians with at least a bachelor's degree was almost double that of the total
population, according to the 2000 census. But, contrasts among Asian Americans are found, as
shown below:

Median family

Bachelor's

income in 1999

degree or more*

All U.S. families

$50,046

24.40%

Asian Americans

$59,324

44.10%

(% distribution below)

Chinese (23.8%)

$60,058

48.10%

Filipino (18.3%)

$65,189

43.80%

Asian Indian (16.2%)

$70,708

63.90%

Vietnamese (10.9%)

$47,103

19.40%

Korean (10.5%)

$47,624

43.80%

Japanese (7.8%)

$70,849

41.90%

Cambodian (1.8%)

$35,621

9.20%

Hmong (1.7%)

$32,384

7.50%

Laotian (1.6%)

$43,542

7.70%

Pakistani (1.5%)

$50,189

54.30%

Thai (1.1%)

$49,635

38.60%

Other Asian (4.7%)

$50,733

41.40%

*Age 25 and older

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Report Teresa Watanabe and Nancy Wride, Indian Americans have surged forward as the most
successful Asian minority in the United States, reporting top levels of income, education,
professional job status and English-language ability, even though three-fourths were foreign-born, according to U.S. census data released December 15.

The report, "We the People: Asians in the United States," was based on 2000 census data among
the nation's 10 million Asian Americans, more than one third of whom live in California, the
state with their largest population
Asian Americans increased from 6.9 million, or 2.8% of the U.S. population, in 1990 to 10.2
million, or 3.6%, and to 11.9 million, or 4.2%, incluyding mixed-race Asian Americans, in 2000.
The contrasts are detailed in the report among 11 Asian American groups.

Median family income, for instance, ranged from $70,849 for Japanese and $70,708 for Asian
Indians to about half that for Cambodians and Hmong. Indian men showed the highest full-time
earnings, $51,900, about double the figure for Hmong men.
About 64% of Asian Indians held a bachelor's degree or more, the highest rate, compared with
7.7% for Laotians and 7.5% for Hmong, the lowest. More than three-fourths of Indians and
Filipinos spoke fluent English, twice the rate for Vietnamese. (Source: Teresa Watanabe and
Nancy Wride, Los Angeles Times, Dec. 16, 2004)